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REPORT 



or 



COL. R. BIDDLE ROBERTS. 



PENNSYLVANIA STATE AGENT • 



AT 



-WASHINGTOlSr, D. O. 



£"^27 



-*8^ 



REPORT. 



Hkad-Quarters Pennstlvania Stati AOINCY, ) 
Waishin(jlon CUy, December 31, 1863. f 

To His Excellency, Andrew G. Curtin, 

Governor of Pennsylvania: 

Sir : — I bare the honor to submit the following report of the operationB 
of this Agency, for the portion of the year 1863, daring which I hare had 
charge of the same. 

Under an order from your Excellency, dated April 27, 1863, I succeeded 
Col. Quay as the State Agent here, and took charge of the oflBce on the Ist 
of May. 

Upon conferring with my predecessor, I found that the ofiBce then occu- 
pied by the Agency — one room on 13th street — was entirely inadequate to the 
business to be transacted, and in accordance with an arrangement preri- 
ously entered into by him, I removed the office to Xo. 487, 11th street, where 
two commodious rooms were secured at a rent not exceeding the amount al- 
lowed, and sufficiently central in location, to answer all the purposes of an 
office for the Agent, the Assistant Quartermaster and the Asaistant Surgeon 
General, and of easy access to the public. 

The duties of the Agent are numerous and perplexing. p]rery one, be be 
i>o1dier or cirilian, who is in Washington and in any strait, applies to the 
Agent. 

Being fully adrised of your wishes, I deroted my time always ^r8< to the 
soldier, but in many instances the desires of the civilian were so blended 
with the welfare of the soldier, os to render attention to the former indis- 
pensable to the discharge of duty to the latter. 

The officer who has been dismissed the service, whether properly or 
improperly — the soldier sick in hospital, in want of a furlough, of a trans- 
fer, of pay, clothing or a descriptive list — the paroled prisoner searching for 
his exchange or his regiment — the widow in quest of her late husband's back 
pay and her pension — the anxiou.s wife, parents, or other relative, in quetit 
of some lost one who has given op his life in the field, and no one can tell 
where — the friend or relative searching through the endless wards uf the 



4 REPORT OF THE 

Washington hospitals for the wounded and the sick, or returning with the 
remains of the gallant slain, receiving the transportation given by the State — 
all expect, and rightfully expect, to find in the State Agent a friend, an 
adviser, a counsellor, an assistant who will at once facilitate them in the 
discharge of duties so important and so sacred. How difficult such duties 
thus become, can only be understood by those who have attempted them. 

Early during the year your Excellency directed me to inquire and report 
to you upon the expediency and propriety of making such arrangements 
as would enable the State Agent to collect for the soldier his back pay and 
bounty, or secure for the surviving relatives the pensions and other compen- 
sations allowed by the acts of Congress ; accordingly, I made a full exami- 
nation of the work of the other States in this behalf, and made an informal 
report, which, while it did not advise any definite course, was such as to 
indicate that, until the Legislature took some action upon the subject, it was 
not in pour Excellency's power, under present appropriations, to direct the 
Agency to be so conducted. 

Some of the smaller States have already authorized their agents to make 
collections, and they are so engaged, and it will perhaps become a matter 
of severe comment that Pennsylvania, always foremost in the work of aiding 
her soldiers, and foremost in the establishment of an Agency at Washing- 
ton, should not be the first in this work, but permits her men to be put to 
the expense of collecting their own claims, leaving them a prey to the sharp- 
ers who hang about the Metropolis, ready at any instant to fleece the gen- 
erous, unguarded and unsuspecting defender of the country, of his last 
dollar, by means of false representations, securing from him a power of at- 
torney to draw his money and robbing him of it. 

I do not wish to be understood as finding fault with gentlemen who are 
engaged as claim agents, many of them highly estimable and entirely 
worthy of confidence, and engaged in a legitimate business, but there is here 
a class of men who, without an office, or the semblance of business, hang 
abotit the streets, form the acquaintance of the soldier who, perhaps, just 
discharged, sick and worn out in the service — doubly home-sick from the 
chance there seems of his getting there — or who, perhaps, has his fir.st fur- 
lough, after months of service, and who, while in this frame of mind and 
body, is easily imposed on, the so-called agent securing his confidence, 
aifects to aid him in doing that which could as well have been done without 
him, and secures from his victim an exorbitant compensation or authority 
to collect, in bis absence, and not unfrequently closes the transaction by send- 
ing his victim away intoxicated and degraded, who probably in a few hours 
finds himself in the guard-house, penniless and friendless. 

To protect from such imposition and wrong, it seems but justice that the 
State should make such provision, through her Agency, as will secure to the 



STATB AGENT AT WASHINGTON t 

MJdiertbe full amount of bis hard earnio)fK — gailuiilly won, tlioy HbouUl l>« 
sacredly eecurod to hiiu. Auil Ibo claiiiiH of ilut widow and the orphan ar« 
not lose Hacrod. Tbey have boon deprived, through the noceHMitieo of the 
Oovornnu'ut, of thoir natural protector. Should not the Slate provide). 
ineanH by which they can secure the pension ((uarantuvd to Ihtini as part of • 
the contract of enlistment, without expouse or withont iiaving it virtually 
decreased by tbi; obarf^os of attornoyH and agents employed to collect tbe« 
aaine ? Surely it should bf so. 4 

If your Kxcellonry should agree with mo in this respect, and should be of 
opinion that the Agency should be so employed, it is proper for me to say 
that libiTul appropriations will have to bo made lor this purpose The ox- ^ 
pense of livioj; ia Wu.shington is so great that the salaries paid will have to 
be in proportion ; and tbo Agent will require at least two clerks, in addition 
to the aid of the Assi.stant Quartermaster and the Messenger, now allowed. 

For a detailed statement of furniture, blanks, cxpcnsos, &c., I respectfully 
refer to my former report on this subject. 

Much of the lime of the Agent is taken up by civilians coming from Penn- 
sylvania, some wishing to visit friends in the army, some desiriog employ- 
ment at Alexandria, and all recpiiring to go where it is requisite tbey should 
have Government passes. They come totally unaccredited, and the officers 
here decline to issue passes. They then apply to the State Agent, and very 
frequently prow at once indignant if he does not instantly certify to ibtir 
loyalty and good standing. Twice during the summer I called the attention 
of the public, through the medium of the Associated Press, to the uucc»siiy 
that cxi.-<ted for every one coming to Washington armed with some evidence 
of their loyalty. Yet, this evil still continues, to the annoyancoof the Agent 
and great incony«nience of the party wishing to go forward. Public atten- 
tion should be invited to thi.-< matter, as many instances of great hard-thip 
and useless expense occur, for want of a knowledge of the requirements of 
the service. 

I desire to express my acknowledgments, for kindly niti and a--<i>itunoe, 
to the "Pennsylvania Relief A.ssociation." Tbey liavo constantly, during 
the time I have bad an opportunity of observing their operations, aidfd in 
every way in their power, in the distribution of money and supplies, not 
only to the soldier, but to those dependent upon him. This was a private 
charity, and was an honor to our State. I regret that the want of supplieo 
will probably compel them to discontinue much of the good they have liore- 
tofore dt;ne, which is truly to lie regretted. I am al.so under obligations to 
the Sanitary Commiasinn for similar favors. 

Your Excellency is aware, that acting under orders, I have be<;n absent 
from Wa.-hingtun frequently, Hnring the advance of the Rebel army 
into Pennsylvania, in Juno and July last, I was absent at I'biladelphi* 



S , REPORT OF THE STATE AGENT. 

or several weeks assisting in mustering and sending forward troops, and tA 
other times, in the discharge of other daties, was compelled to be away. 
During such times, the duties of the Agencj were discharged by Major 
James QiHiland, Assistant Quartermaster, with fidelity and ability, and my 
acknowledgments are due to him for the same. 

la closing this report, I beg to say that I make the foregoing suggestions 
with regard to the future operations of this Agency, with the more freedom, 
as I am encouraged to hope that your Excellency will accede to my often ex- 
pressed wish to be relieved from the onerous duties here, and re-assigned to 
my former duties at Harrisburg, where, I feel satisfied, I can be of mor« 
service to the State. 

AU of which is respectfully submitted. 

Very respectfully. 

Your obedient servant, 

R. BIDDLE ROBERTS, A. D 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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